NORTHWEST COLORADO NEWS AND SPORTS FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH

Posted onDecember 7, 2013byKRAI|Comments Off on NORTHWEST COLORADO NEWS AND SPORTS FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH

[flagallery gid=30]

NORTHWEST COLORADO RESIDENTS GIVE GENEROUSLY DURING THE HOLIDAY DRIVE

The annual 93-7/102-3 KRAI and 55 Country Holiday Drive, again showed how the residents of Moffat County and Northwest Colorado take care of their own when called upon. In addition to over 2,000 new toys and 4,980 pounds of food, citizens gave over $28,000 in cash during the two day drive. The unofficial totals as of Friday night showed $4,585 collected for Advocates Crisis Support Services; $6,632 for Christmas for Seniors; $7,091 for Christmas for Kids and $9,775 for the Interfaith Food Bank. There were also hundreds of other items needed by those organizations that were donated during the Holiday Drive. At the conclusion, 93.7/102.3 KRAI and 55 Country Owner Frank Hanel praised all of the volunteers who braved sub zero temperatures “to help make the 15th Annual Holiday Drive the best ever”, and expressed his “admiration for the the people and businesses in the Craig area that are so willing to help their friends and neighbors”. Click here for a gallery of photos from the Holiday Drive.

COWBOY CHRISTMAS TAKES PLACE TONIGHT

The Boys and Girls Club of Craig holds their 9th Annual Cowboy Christmas tonight. The event is a fundraiser for the club. The night will feature entertainment with simulated gambling, a buffet dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $35 per person. It takes place at 5:30 tonight at the Boys and Girls Club. For more information call 826-0411.

SEARCH FOR STEAMBOAT YULE LOG BEGINS MONDAY

The Tread of Pioneers Museum’s Annual Yule Log Hunt begins Monday. Each year museum staff places the log somewhere in the Steamboat area, and then releases a clue a day as to where it can be found. Those clues will be broadcast each weekday on KRAI and 55 Country. Whoever finds the log gets a $150 Steamboat Chamber gift certificate and a framed piece of artwork. The log is never hidden on private property, inside buildings, or in areas that charge fees to enter. A portion of it will always be visible from its hiding place. Clues begin airing on Monday.

POLL SHOWS BROPHY KEEPING UP WITH HICKENLOOPER

Public Policy Polling released a poll yesterday showing that State Senator Greg Brophy narrowly trails John Hickenlooper 44% to 43%, well within the poll’s 3.2% margin of error. The next closest candidate trails Hickenlooper by 7%. Commenting on the poll, Brophy said, “This poll proves what I have been saying as I have visited counties across Colorado. I am the candidate that can win in November. Colorado voters agree that we need a change and I am the right candidate for the job.”

GARDNER LOOKS TO PREVENT PAY INCREASE FOR HEAD OF STATE HEALTH EXCHANGE

Representative Cory Gardner (CO-04) announced that he plans to introduce legislation on Monday that stops bonuses and pay increases for executives of state health care exchanges. News reports recently documented a case of a CEO of a state exchange seeking increased compensation to an already generous salary. In this particular case, the exchange in which the CEO is charged with running has enrolled just half of the exchange’s own “worst-case projection.” In a statement, Gardner said ““While hundreds of thousands of Coloradans were dealing with cancellation and rate increase notices in October, the CEO of Connect for Health Colorado seemingly had more pressing concerns at hand – making sure that her taxpayer-funded salary grew even larger. In the private sector, increases in compensation are determined by an employee’s ability to do their job and meet performance standards set by their employer; those running state exchanges must not be given special treatment.” He went on to say that those running the exchanges need to put more effort into raising enrollment numbers, and less time figuring out how to make more taxpayer money.

BENNET SUPPORTS DRONES IN CIVIL AVIATION

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet is urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to consider the benefits drones can provide for wildfire monitoring and suppression when it chooses up to six new testing sites for the unmanned aircraft. The testing sites will help the FAA study how to best integrate drone technology into our national airspace in a way he says will protect the privacy and safety of Americans. Congress passed legislation over a year ago directing the FAA to begin a process that incorporates drones into the civil aviation system with six test sites around the country. The FAA has announced guidelines for its selection process with specific safeguards designed to ensure the privacy and safety of anyone living near a test site.